The exceeding virtue of T'âi-po.
The Master said, "T'âi-po may be said to have reached the highest point of virtuous action. Thrice he declined the kingdom, and the people in ignorance of his motives could not express their approbation of his conduct."

Legge VIII.1.

The Master said, 'Surely T'ai Po can be said to be of the highest virtue. Three times he abdicated his right to rule over the Empire, and yet he left behind nothing the common people could acclaim.'

The value of the rules of propriety; and of example in those in high stations.
1. The Master said, "Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes laborious bustle; carefulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes timidity; boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness.
2. "When those who are in high stations perform well all their duties to their relations, the people are aroused to virtue. When old friends are not neglected by them, the people are preserved from meanness."

Legge VIII.2.

The Master said, 'Unless a man has the spirit of the rites, in being respectful he will wear himself out, in being careful he will become timid, in having courage he will become unruly, and in being forth- right he will become intolerant.1 'When the gentleman feels profound affection for his parents, the common people will be stirred to benevolence. When he does not forget friends of long standing, the common people will not shirk their obligations to other people.'

The philosopher Tsang's filial piety seen in his care of his person.
The philosopher Tsang being ill, he cared to him the disciples of his school, and said, "Uncover my feet, uncover my hands. It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'We should be apprehensive and cautious, as if on the brink of a deep gulf, as if treading on thin ice, I and so have I been. Now and hereafter, I know my escape from all injury to my person. O ye, my little children."

Legge VIII.3.

When he was seriously ill Tseng Tzu summoned his disciples and said, 'Take a look at my hands. Take a look at my feet. The Odes say,
In fear and trembling,
As if approaching a deep abyss,
As if walking on thin ice.
Only now am I sure of being spared, my young friends.'

The philosopher Tsang's dying counsels to a man of high rank.
1. The philosopher Tsang being ill, Meng Chang went to ask how he was.
2. Tsang said to him, "When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good.
3. "There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially important:– that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness; that in regulating his countenance he keep near to sincerity; and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety. As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels, there are the proper officers for them."

Legge VIII.4.

Tseng Tzu was seriously ill. When Meng Ching Tzu visited him, this was what Tseng Tzu said,
'Sad is the cry of a dying bird;
Good are the words of a dying man. There are three things which the gentleman values most in the Way: to stay clear of violence by putting on a serious countenance, to come close to being trusted by setting a proper expression on his face, and to avoid being boorish and unreasonable by speaking in proper tones. As for the business of sacrificial vessels, there are officials responsible for that.'

The admirable simplicity and freedom from egotism of a friend of the philosopher Tsang.
The philosopher Tsang said, "Gifted with ability, and yet putting questions to those who were not so; possessed of much, and yet putting questions to those possessed of little; having, as though he had not; full, and yet counting himself as empty; offended against, and yet entering into no altercation; formerly I had a friend who pursued this style of conduct."

Legge VIII.5.

Tseng Tzu said, 'To be able yet to ask the advice of those who are not able. To have many talents yet to ask the advice of those who have few. To have yet to appear to want. To be full yet to appear empty. To be transgressed against yet not to mind. It was towards this end that my friend used to direct his efforts.'

A combination of talents and virtue constituting a Chün-tsze.
The philosopher Tsang said, "Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with the charge of a young orphan prince, and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred lî, and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles:– is such a man a superior man? He is a superior man indeed."

Legge VIII.6.

Tseng Tzu said, 'If a man can be entrusted with an orphan six ch'ih tall, and the fate of a state one hundred li square, without his being deflected from his purpose even in moments of crisis, is he not a gentleman? He is, indeed, a gentleman.'

The necessity to the officer of compass and vigor of mind.
1. The philosopher Tsang said, "The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance. His burden is heavy and his course is long.
2. "Perfect virtue is the burden which he considers it is his to sustain;– is it not heavy? Only with death does his course stop;– is it not long?

Legge VIII.7.

Tseng Tzu said, 'A Gentleman must be strong and resolute, for his burden is heavy and the road is long. He takes benevolence as his burden. Is that not heavy? Only with death does the road come to an end. Is that not long?'

The effects of poetry, proprieties, and music.
1. The Master said, "It is by the Odes that the mind is aroused.
2. "It is by the Rules of Propriety that the character is established.
3. "It is from Music that the finish is received."

Legge VIII.8.

The Master said, 'Be stimulated by the Odes, take your stand on the rites and be perfected by music.'

Different causes of insubordination;– a lesson to rulers.
The Master said, "The man who is fond of daring and is dissatisfied with poverty, will proceed to insubordination. So will the man who is not virtuous, when you carry your dislike of him to an extreme."

Legge VIII.10.

The Master said, 'Being fond of courage while detesting poverty will lead men to unruly behaviour. Excessive detestation of men who are not benevolent will provoke them to unruly behaviour.'

The worthlessness of talent without virtue.
The Master said, "Though a man have abilities as admirable as those of the duke of Châu, yet if he be proud and niggardly, those other things are really not worth being looked at."

Legge VIII.11.

The Master said, 'Even with a man as gifted as the Duke of Chou, if he was arrogant and miserly, then the rest of his qualities would not be worthy of admiration.'

The qualifications of an officer, who will always act right in accepting and declining office.
1. The Master said, "With sincere faith he unites the love of learning; holding firm to death, he is perfecting the excellence of his course.
2. "Such a one will not enter a tottering state, nor dwell in a disorganized one. When right principles of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated, he will keep concealed.
3. "When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of."

Legge VIII.13.

The Master said, 'Have the firm faith to devote yourself to learning, and abide to the death in the good way. Enter not a state that is in peril; stay not in a state that is in danger. Show yourself when the Way prevails in the Empire, but hide yourself when it does not. It is a shameful matter to be poor and humble when the Way prevails in the state. Equally, it is a shameful matter to be rich and noble when the Way falls into disuse in the state.'

A lamentation over moral error added to natural defect.
The Master said, "Ardent and yet not upright, stupid and yet not attentive; simple and yet not sincere:– such persons I do not understand."

Legge VIII.16.

The Master said, 'Men who reject discipline and yet are not straight, men who are ignorant and yet not cautious, men who are devoid of ability and yet not trustworthy are quite beyond my understanding.'

The praise of Yâo.
1. The Master said, "Great indeed was Yâo as a sovereign! How majestic was he! It is only Heaven that is grand, and only Yâo corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could find no name for it.
2. "How majestic was he in the works which he accomplished! How glorious in the elegant regulations which he instituted!"

Legge VIII.19.

The Master said, 'Great indeed was Yao as a ruler! How lofty! It is Heaven that is great and it was Yao who modelled himself upon it. He was so boundless that the common people were not able to put a name to his virtues. Lofty was he in his successes and brilliant was he in his accomplishments!'

The scarcity of men of talent, and praise of the house of Châu.
1. Shun had five ministers, and the empire was well governed.
2. King Wû said, "I have ten able ministers."
3. Confucius said, "Is not the saying that talents are difficult to find, true? Only when the dynasties of T'ang and Yü met, were they more abundant than in this of Châu, yet there was a woman among them. The able ministers were no more than nine men.
4. "King Wan possessed two of the three parts of the empire, and with those he served the dynasty of Yin. The virtue of the house of Châu may be said to have reached the highest point indeed."

Legge VIII.20.

Shun had five officials and the Empire was well governed. King Wu said, 'I have ten capable officials.'
Confucius commented, 'How true it is that talent is difficult to find! The period of T'ang and Yu was rich in talent. With a woman amongst them, there were, in fact, only nine. The Chou continued to serve the Yin when it was in possession of tw0-thirds of the Empire. Its virtue can be said to have been the highest.'

The praise of Yü.
The Master said, "I can find no flaw in the character of Yü. He used himself coarse food and drink, but displayed the utmost filial piety towards the spirits. His ordinary garments were poor, but he displayed the utmost elegance in his sacrificial cap and apron. He lived in a low, mean house, but expended all his strength on the ditches and water channels. I can find nothing like a flaw in Yü."

Legge VIII.21.

The Master said, 'With Yu I can find no fault. He ate and drank the meanest fare while making offerings to ancestral spirits and gods with the utmost devotion proper to a descendant. He wore coarse clothes while sparing no splendour in his robes and caps on sacrificial occasions. He lived in lowly dwellings while devoting all his energy to the building of irrigation canals. With Yu I can find no fault.'